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Doughnuts and Wine – a Tasty Pairing!

We can feel good about indulging our collective sweet tooth, since it’s for a good cause and always has been: the holiday was created in 1938 by the Chicago branch of the Salvation Army to honor “Lassies” – women who distributed donuts to U.S. servicemen in World War I. The Salvation Army’s practical aim was to raise money to help needy families during the Great Depression.

But the day puts two decisions on the table: what kind of donut, and which wine to pair with it?

The donut choice is a no-brainer. It must be glazed, from Krispy Kreme. No substitutes, please. Don’t show up at my door with bear claws, fritters, cronuts or other pretenders. I’m adding 400 calories to my day’s total – just enough, probably, to keep me from losing weight this week. So I need to be picky. I’m sure many of you will disagree with my choice (poor misguided souls) and you’re welcome to chew me out in the Comments section.

On the wine I’m willing to compromise. You’ll want to select a wine with at least a bit of sweetness (trust me on this; both the wine and the donut will taste like they were brought together by Divine Intervention). If you’re not accustomed to buying sweet wines, take the plunge and buy a quality bottle – a Vouvray, maybe, which will always have a bit of sweetness, or a floral, not-super-dry Rosé.

If you’re not in an experimental mood, reach for a Prosecco, Italy’s famous sparkling wine. Prosecco is made from a grape called Glera, which is a little sweeter than the grapes used in making Champagne. You can also buy Prosecco without bubbles, but it may not be easy to find.

My choice for this evening will be a glass of Sherry, often called “the whiskey of wines” for its bite and high alcohol content, which can reach 20 percent ABV or higher. I like the nutty, aromatic nature of Sherry. It’s not as thick in the mouth as Port, though I do enjoy a nice Port with dessert, too. Sherry styles could make another long blog post, but I probably will reach for a spicy Oloroso that I can sip like a fine Scotch.

However you accent your dessert tonight, go get a donut (or, if you prefer, a doughnut)! Krispy Kreme is giving away donuts today, no purchase required. Dunkin’ Donuts will give you a free donut if you purchase a drink, and if you buy half a dozen donuts at Giant Eagle, they’ll give you another half-dozen free of charge.

Wine Lingo of the Day: Spumante, Frizzante, Tranquillo = “Spumante” is Italian for “sparkling” and refers to bubbly wine, usually in discussions of Prosecco. “Frizzante” is semi-bubbly; you’ll see bubbles in the glass and feel them tingling on your tongue, but they don’t last. “Tranquillo” is still wine, with no bubbles at all.